Whether you're new to Ireland or just finding your way through the system — everything you need to know about choosing the right school for your child.
Search schools by Eircode →Ireland has a well-established state-funded education system with two main levels: primary school (ages 4–12) and secondary school (ages 12–18). Education is compulsory from age 6 to 16, though most children start primary school at 4 or 5.
One of the most important things for newcomers to understand is that the Irish school system is heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. The majority of schools — particularly primary schools — are under Catholic patronage, meaning they are managed by the local parish or diocese, even though they are almost entirely state-funded. This has significant implications for how schools are run, what they teach, and sometimes how they prioritise admissions.
Key fact: Ireland has approximately 3,200 primary schools and 730 secondary schools. Most are free to attend, with the exception of a small number of fee-paying private schools, mainly in Dublin.
Every Irish school operates under a patron — an organisation that sets the ethos, values and religious character of the school. This is one of the most confusing aspects of the Irish system for newcomers. Understanding ethos is essential when choosing a school.
For families who are not Catholic, Educate Together schools and ETB/Community schools are the most accessible options. Educate Together schools have expanded significantly in recent years, particularly in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.
Primary school in Ireland runs from Junior Infants to 6th Class — typically ages 4/5 to 12. Children usually start in Junior Infants in September of the year they turn 5, though many start at 4.
Class sizes are generally larger than in many other European countries — typically 25–30 pupils per class. Most primary schools are small by international standards: the average Irish primary school has around 200–300 pupils.
You may see DEIS mentioned when looking at schools. DEIS stands for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools — a government programme that provides extra resources and support to schools in disadvantaged areas. DEIS schools receive additional funding, lower class sizes and specialist support. Being a DEIS school does not mean the school is poor quality — many DEIS schools are excellent.
Secondary school runs from 1st Year to 6th Year — typically ages 12–18. The Leaving Certificate examination at the end of 6th Year is the main school-leaving qualification and the primary route to university entry in Ireland.
Many secondary schools offer a Transition Year (TY) between Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle — an optional year focused on personal development, work experience and non-exam activities. This is often a highlight of secondary school for Irish students.
Secondary schools come in several forms: voluntary secondary schools (usually Catholic, often single-sex), community and comprehensive schools (co-educational, non-denominational, state-run), and ETB schools (formerly vocational schools, now broad-curriculum schools run by Education and Training Boards). Fee-paying private schools exist mainly in Dublin.
Many Irish secondary schools are single-sex — boys-only or girls-only. This is more common in urban areas and in Catholic schools. If this is important to your family, check the gender of the school before applying.
Irish schools set their own admissions policies within a legal framework established by the Admissions to Schools Act 2018. This was a significant reform that changed how schools can prioritise applicants — for example, schools can no longer refuse admission based on religion alone (with some exceptions).
Understanding the admissions timeline is essential — many schools, particularly popular ones in Dublin, fill up quickly:
Secondary school open days begin. Start researching schools in your area. Most open days are in October and November.
Most primary schools open enrolment for the following September in October or November. Check individual school policies.
Applications for secondary school typically open in November and close in January or February.
Secondary school offers are typically made in February or March. You usually have 2–3 weeks to accept.
The new school year begins in early September, usually the first week.
Important for newcomers: If you arrive in Ireland outside the normal admissions cycle, contact schools directly. Schools are legally obliged to consider late applications and cannot refuse admission without good reason. If your first-choice school is full, the Department of Education has a process to help find available places.
The Department of Education's Inspectorate carries out regular inspections of Irish schools and publishes the results online. These reports give an independent assessment of how well a school is performing — covering teaching quality, leadership, student outcomes and more.
Schools are rated on a scale from Excellent to Satisfactory (and occasionally lower). On Schoolfinder.ie, we display these ratings on each school profile so you can quickly see how a school has been assessed.
It's worth noting that inspection reports reflect a school's performance at a particular point in time — often 3–5 years ago. A "Good" school may have improved significantly since its last inspection, and vice versa. Use the reports as one data point among several.
Ireland has a network of special classes within mainstream schools for children with specific additional needs. These are small classes (typically 6 pupils) with specialist teachers and resources, operating alongside the main school community.
The most common types of special classes include:
On Schoolfinder.ie, you can filter search results to show only schools with specific types of special classes — useful if your child has additional needs.
Ireland has a substantial network of Gaelscoileanna (Irish-language primary schools) and Gaelcholáistí (Irish-language secondary schools) where all subjects are taught through Irish. These schools are open to all children — you do not need to speak Irish at home to enrol.
Research consistently shows that children who attend Irish-medium schools become highly proficient in Irish and perform equally well in English and other subjects. Many parents — including non-Irish parents — choose Gaelscoileanna specifically for the language immersion experience.
There are Gaelscoileanna in every county in Ireland, with the highest concentration in Dublin, Cork and Galway.
The fastest way to find schools near your new home in Ireland is to use your Eircode — Ireland's unique postcode system. Every address in Ireland has an Eircode, and you can find yours using the Eircode website once you have your address.
On Schoolfinder.ie, simply enter your Eircode to see the 10 nearest primary or secondary schools ranked by driving distance. You can filter by ethos, gender, special classes and more.
Enter your Eircode to see nearby schools with inspection reports, admissions policies and college progression data.
Search by Eircode →You can also browse schools by county using the links below: